Australian PM Julia Gillard wins Labor Party`s leadership vote

Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard survived the leadership vote of the Labor Party after no challengers emerged to vie for the leadership of the governing party.

Gillard had called a leadership vote of the Labor Party on Thursday after party rivals asked her to step aside and clear the way for former leader Kevin Rudd to head the minority government to stave off election defeat in September.
Gillard`s announced the move after senior party leader Simon Crean called for the leadership to be thrown open, and demanded that Rudd stand against Gillard, according to ABC report.

"I don`t want any more games, I`m sick to death of it, it`s about time he stood up and instead of having his camp leak things, actually have the courage of his conviction and his belief," Crean said.

Gillard has called a caucus meeting later in the day to allow a ballot for leadership positions.

Crean said the party`s problems would not be resolved simply by changing the leader, according to media reports.

"I hope this circuit breaker does it," Crean said.

On a query if Rudd had the numbers, Crean said, "I wouldn`t be doing this if I did not believe there was the mood and a need for change within the party."

He said if Gillard won the spill, he would stand down from his ministerial positions.

Gillard ousted Rudd, then prime minister, in a 2010 ballot.

Opinion polls, however, show he is far more popular with the public than Gillard, who looks set to lose the forthcoming election to the Liberal Party`s Tony Abbott.